A Book Meme

Picked this up out there in the blogosphere--feel free to lift it for your own use (Jana!) . . .


Hardback, Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback?
I mostly prefere mass market, and not the oversized ones that are an inch taller than they should be. I will not buy an oversized mm as they won't fit on the shelf with my other books.

Waterstones, Borders or Amazon?
None of the above. We don't have a Waterstones (never even heard of them), Borders is too out of the way and nowhere near where I do the majority of my shopping, and I rarely buy off Amazon. Most of my books come from Barnes and Noble or local stores (Target, Wal-Mart, Woodman's).

Bookmark or Dog-Ear?
Ack! Bookmark, definitely. Dog-eared pages drive me crazy. Dog-ear one of my books (or use one for a coaster) and you'll never borrow another.

Alphabetize by Author, by Title or “Other”?
By author, and I usually tend to shelve books in order rather than by title, and I separate hardcovers from paperbacks.

Keep, Throw Away or Sell?
Generally, keep. Occasionally I will give one to a friend if I think someone else will really like something. Being in the process of looking for a new apartment, I did make the sacrifice of donating a couple boxes of old books. You do not know how much that hurt! And anyone who throws a book away when done ratehr than giving it away should be shot.

Keep Dust Jacket or Toss It?
Depends. I have some books without them, some that still have them. Guess it depends on how annoyed by it I am.

Read with Dust Jacket or Remove It?
Remove it. It only gets in the way and gets ruined.

Short Story or Novel?
Generally, novels. I will occasionally pick up an anthology of short stories/novellas if it includes an author I love, but very rarely.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
Harry Potter, no contest.

Buy or Borrow?
I buy most of the books I read, but occasionally exchange books with a friend or one of my sisters.

Buying Choice: Book Reviews, Recommendations or Browse?
I find most of my books by browsing the shelves or monthly newsletters. I tend not to read reviews, but will occasionally check out books recommended to me.

Tidy Ending or Cliffhanger?
A cliffhanger is okay if part of a series--it can whet your appetite for the next book in the series--so long as those loose threads are tied up in the next book.

Morning Read, Afternoon or Nighttime Read?
I read any time I can, but generally more in late afternoon and evening.

Stand-Alone or Series?
Both.

Favorite Series?
Kay Hooper's Bishop series, Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse, Johanna Lindsey's Mallory family...

Favorite Children’s Book?
Sophie and Gussie, sadly no longer in print (and my copy desintegrated eons ago, I read it that often), and Goodnight, Moon.

Favorite YA Book?
I haven't read any YA in ages -- well, except the Twilight series, which I did like -- but LOVED anything by Lois Duncan or Lois Lowry as a teen.

Favorite Book of Which Nobody Else Has Heard?
Witch of the Glen by Sally Watson.

Favorite Book(s) Read during the Last Year?
There were a lot of books I loved this year, but honestly cannot single out any one book.

Favorite Book to Re-Read?
I can't remember the last time I reread a book...probably not since college. Books I've read more than once include Mandy by Julie (Andrews) Edwards, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, The Ghosts by Antonia Barber (this book saved my butt when I had to write a paper on my least favorite poet, Yeats).

Do You Ever Smell Books?
Depends on where the book came from. New books, maybe. Used books, not if I can help it!

Do You Ever Read Primary Source Documents, Like Letters or Diaries?
Rarely. I'm not big on reading bios or autobiographies, so something like this would have to be on a subject that really interested me.

What Are You Reading Right Now?
He Sees You When You're Sleeping by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark

What Are You Reading Next?
As I am currently participating in the Christmas Reading Challenge, another Christmas-themed book, the title and genre of which depends on my mood. At top of the pile are: Marry-Me Christmas by Shirley Jump, A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote, Christmas Wishes by Betty Neels, The Gift by Nora Roberts, First Impressions by Nora Roberts, and The Present by Johanna Lindsey.

3x3 Just Fishy

A one sheet wonder set of 3x3 gift cards, plus a couple 2.25 x 2.25 inch cards. These were created by randomly stamping the different fish images on a 8.25x11 piece of white cardstock. I then cut the image panels down to 2.5 inches and matted on 2.75 inch square pieces of scrap cardstock. For smaller cards the image panels are 1.75 inches square and matted on 2 inch scraps.

Stamps: Just Beachy (Stampin' Up)
Paper: DCWV
Ink: Old Olive, Ruby Red, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Only Orange, Really Rust

Lovely as a {Fall} Tree

A fall birthday card.

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree (Stampin' Up)
Paper: DCWV
Ink: Really Rust (SU)

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...For Reading

There's no better time of the year for snuggling in with a good book or two, and yesterday kicked off the 2009 Christmas Reading Challenge. The object of the challenge is to read at least three Christmas-themed books bwtween now and end of the year. I have a towering pile of such books and just found seven more in my stash Tuesday, bringing the current total to 42, several of them anthologies. Obviously, I am not getting through that many books in thirty days. My goal is 5 to 10, a fairly reasonable number don't you think? And these are all off the TBR pile; I have bought no new Christmas books this year.

I decided to start with Greg Kinkaid's A Dog Named Christmas, after seeing that the Hallmark movie will be airing on CBS this Sunday night Nov 29). I am a bit over halfway through so far. It's a good, fast read, something families could read together. Up next will be He Sees You When You're Sleeping by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark. That one has been lingering in the TBR a couple years now.

Back to the reading!

Thursday Thirteen 135: Recently Read

Here's what I've been reading the past few months. Books read so far this year: 72 -- that puts me three away from my goal of 75. I still have one classic to read for the Casual Classics challenge, and the book chosen for that will also fit the Christmas Reading Challenge that runs November 26 - December 31.

LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:
(Please leave your link if this is your first visit!)

Adelle Laudan * Alice Audrey * Mary Quast
Emily Ryan-Davis * Elise Logan * Nikki * A. Catherine Noon
Shelley Munro * Cate Hart * Darla M Sands
Ms Menozzi * Calico Crazy * Colleen * Deb * Paige Tyler
Harriet * Storyteller * Irish Coda

You can find more Thursday Thirteen participants HERE.

Gobble, Gobble

This is a quick and easy 4.25x4.25 inch square card.

For those who will be feasting tomorrow and may be worried about gaining weight not only during Thanksgiving, but during the month of holiday parties that follows, here are some tips heard on this evening's news.


1. Remember that it is okay to indulge once in a while for holidays and special occasions.
2. Get in a high intensity workout the morning of or day before, as it will help burn all those extra calories.
3. Don't skip breakfast or lunch before the big meal, as you will be more likely to overeat.
4. Remember that it's about the people more than it is the food. Or at least it should be!
5. Eat slow -- you'll have a better idea of when you are full and be less likely to overeat.
6. Eat small portions and refuse seconds.
7. Start with the veggies; they're lower in calories and will help fill you up. After the veggies, move on to the protein. Turkey is lean protein and again, it will help fill you up. Finally, move on to the potatoes (sweet potatoes are healthier, and keeping the skins on will add nutrients to regular potatoes), stuffing (high in carbs) and cranberry sauce (high in sugar).
8. Although no pie is truly good for you, apple and pumpkin are healthier choices (350 calories each) than pecan (500-600 calories), so go ahead and enjoy a small slice.
9. Go for a walk after dinner instead of vegging in front of the TV.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!


Stamps: Gobble, Gobble (Stampin' Up)
Paper: Patterned (Current Inc), Plain (DCWV)
Ink: Fall Kailedecolor

Teaser Tuesday 10: Sew Deadly

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser is from the cozy mystery, Sew Deadly by Elizabeth Lynn Casey. I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to the next one in the series.

Milo Wentworth was most definitely a good-looking man. He was tall and lanky, his arms sporting just enough muscle to make a woman feel safe. His hair was just long enough to explore with gentle fingers. His eyes had a wonderful ability to smile before his lips did...

Not that she'd noticed or anything.

(Page 143)

A bit about the book:

Ever since she moved to Sweet Briar, South Carolina, Yankee librarian Tori Sinclair has been the talk of the tiny town. But she’s been so busy at work, winning over the sewing circle, and trying to forget her cheating ex that she hasn’t even had time to baste together a pillow, let alone mind local gossip. Then she finds the hometown sweetheart dead at her back door…

Monday Movie Meme: Victory

Share on your blog movies focusing on champions, victories and winners and link back to The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants to find their recommendations!

Five movies that instantly came to mind:

Miracle (2004) - Miracle tells the true story of Herb Brooks (Russell), the player-turned-coach who led the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to victory over the seemingly invincible Russian squad. One member of that team, Mark Johnson, coaches the UW women's hockey team, and is also headcoach of the 2010 Olympic women's team.

Jerry MaGuire (1996) - When a sports agent has a moral epiphany and is fired for expressing it, he decides to put his new philosophy to the test as an independent with the only athlete who stays with him.

Akeelah and the Bee (2006) - Changing the world... one word at a time. A young girl from South Los Angeles tries to make it to the National Spelling Bee.

National Velvet (1944) - A jaded former jockey helps a young girl prepare a wild but gifted horse for England's Grand National Sweepstakes.

Remember the Titans (2000) - I love this movie! The true story of a newly appointed African-American coach and his high school team on their first season as a racially integrated unit.

Leaf Pile

It was another pleasantly mild autumn day here, with sunshine and a temp in the low 50s. I would ahve loved to get out for a walk, but spent most of the day waiting for my sister who never showed and didn't bother calling to let me know she wouldn't be coming as planned. Typical.

Instead of getting out and doing what we had planned, I spent the afternoon flipping between football games while finishing a cross-stitched Christmas present. Amazing how much stitching you can get done over six hours of football! I started this project last week, and just need to wash, press and do a bit of finishing work. Then it's on to a pair of projects for another friend. Should take about a week to do both of those, not including actual machine sewing. I might need to get someone to help finish those as I am nowhere near as handy with a sewing machine as some friends.

Sunday will be another crafting day, but dedicated to cards rather than stitching. Couple projects there I need to finish up this week so I can concentrate on finishing my Christmas cards. I have all the pieces cut and/or stamped, just need to piece them together. *sigh* Hmm...maybe I'll get a walk in tomorrow if it's as nice as today. Maybe.

Give Thanks

A couple turkey day cards to share today. I really had to dig to find out what set these little turkeys are from -- it's a retired set from Stampin' Up that a friend owns, and when I stamped these a couple years ago I didn't note the set's name. After scouring the SCS gallery, I have surmised that it is from "Year Round Fun 2." The greeting on the top one, "give thanks," is from the recent "Gobble, Gobble" single turkey stamp. The leaves on the second card are from "Thanksgiving Blessings." I had originally intended to use a vertical "Happy Thanksgiving" stamp in that space, but that stamp is currently MIA. You know I'll find it about a week after Christmas.

Have a fun weekend!

Stamps: Gobble, Gobble; Thanksgiving Blessings; Year Round Fun 2 (All from SU)
Paper: Leaf Paper from Current, Inc; all other from DCWV
Ink: Basic Black, Fall Kaleidecolor
Accessories: Grosgrain Ribbon, Circle punches, La Plume markers (Joann's)

Thursday Thirteen 134: More Randomness

I've a headache that is turning my mind to mush tonight (hush!), but here's a bit more randomness for the month...


~ Don't you hate it when you wake up with a headache you did not have when you went to bed? No, that wasn't the case today -- I felt fine up until the last half hour of work -- but has happened a couple times this past week. And no, there was no drinking involved the night before. I've never seen the point in getting drunk.

~ Why is it, in a parking lot of more than 100 vehicles, the loudest car will always park in front of my bedroom window? Seriously--if your car is loud enough to wake the dead, it's time for a tune-up or new muffler.

~ Speaking of parking, and I know my friends to the south won't completely understand this, but alternate-side parking rules went into affect Sunday, Nov 15, and last until March 15. Failure to know the date can cost you between $20 and $60 for each memory lapse.

~ No snow yet, but that did not deter organizers from illuminating the 21st annual Holiday Festival in Lights Monday evening. All displays were converted to energy-saving LEDs and the event includes several new ones, including a train and Capitol. The drive-through display is lit every night now through New Year's Eve.

~ Also under construction has been the "world's tallest gingerbread man" over at Hilldale Mall. The 25-foot cookie can be found in front of Macy's and is the centerpiece of Gingerbread Casas for CASA, a benefit for CASA of Dane County, being held this Saturday.

~ And while we're on the subject of holiday charity events, the Marine Corps Toys For Tots campaign is also now in progress. See their website for a toy drop-off site near you, or to make an online monetary donation.

~ Just in time for the opening of New Moon this Friday -- a Jeopardy category last Thursday, 12 November: "Twilight: The Novel." I swept the category. Too bad I didn't get any of the money earned. I could have used it.

~ From what I heard on the radio this evening, so could actor Nicholas Cage, who is "broke." I frame the word with quotes as broke to Cage is definitely not broke to you or me. Apparently, Mr. Cage (who easily commands $20 mil a movie) has a nasty spending habit and went on quite a spree in 2007, which he is now blaming on his business manager. Among his assets: 4 yachts, 15 residences in various parts of the world (incl. castles in England and Germany), 22 cars (9 of them Rolls-Royces), and copious amounts of art and jewelry. Yeah, I'd like to have his problem. Do you know how many books a million dollars would buy?!

~ Line from the book I am currently reading: Why was it that the female gender was so quick to cast each other aside for the sake of a man? Why indeed... To quote a character on Greek this past season: Sisters before misters!

~ NASA has confirmed that there is a significant amount of water on the moon. The search for cheese, however, continues.

~ Though I've only heard it once a few weeks ago on the radio, I have had the song Ain't No Rest for The Wicked by Cage the Elephant in my head quite frequently lately. Guess it really resonated with me.

~ Also invading my mind the past week: It's a Marshmallow World in the Winter. I have no idea why. We have not seen snow since October 10 (and that was only a brief snow shower), it has not been cold enough to snow (we've gone from below normal temps in Oct to above normal in Nov), and I have not heard the song since last winter. I love Bing Crosby as much as anyone, but really... Get out of my head until December. Or at least until the first snowfall, whichever comes first.

~ According to the state Department of Health Services, Bing was not among the top ten baby names of 2008. The top three names for girls were Ava, Olivia and Emma. The top three for boys were Ethan, Mason and Jacob. It's nice to see a return to more traditional (that is, normal) names. You can view the complete top ten here.

Whew! It took me a while, but I finally made it to thirteen. Thank you for suffering along with me. *wink*


LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:
(Please leave your link if this is your first visit!)

Paige Tyler * Adelle Laudan * Stephanie Adkins
Mary Quast * Alice Audrey * Tracie * A. Catherine NoonHazel * Shelley Munro * Ms Menozzi * Betty * Kristen Hootin' Anni * Colleen * Brenda ND * Elise Logan
Sophia Parkwood * Jennifer McKenzie

You can find more Thursday Thirteen participants HERE

Teaser Tuesday 9: The Old Man and the Sea

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


More than two sentences, but bear with me. :wink:


The line rose slowly and steadily and then the surface of the ocean bulged ahead of the boat and the fish came out. He came out unendingly and water poured from his sides. He was bright in the sun and his head and back were dark purple and in the sun the stripes on his sides showed wide and a light lavender. His sword was as long as a baseball bat and tapered like a rapier and he rose his full length from the water and then re-entered it, smoothly, like a diver and the old man saw the great scythe-blade of his tail go under and the line commenced to race out.

Monday Movie Meme: To Die For

Last week we talked about movies that changed our life (yeah, I missed that one--it was a long and busy day at work). So this week we're doing a 180 and talking about death. No -- not movies that scared us to death or about mourning. We mean those memorable death scenes. If you've ever seen HBO's Six Feet Under (I haven't), you know that each episode opened with the death scene of a person soon to be taken care of at the family's funeral home. The writers got pretty creative, coming up with interesting ways for characters to die each week. Movies of all kinds provide death scenes of all shapes and sizes. Humorous, horrifying, tear jearking, realistic and ridiculous. Here are a few that stood out for us. WARNING!!! It is impossible for [some of] these not to be spoiler-free. Share on your blog scenes depicting death and link back at The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants to find their recommendations!


I was surprised at how many movies came to mind for this topic, maybe not for the unusual ways in which people die as The Bumbles did, but movies that had some memorable deaths all the same. I'll be kind and limit this to the top five on my list, and try to keep it spoiler-free.

* Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) -- Sure, a heart attack at a wedding isn't the greatest way to go, but how dry were your eyes when the beloved scoundrel, Gareth, died living life as he did every day--to the fullest? That part of the movie gets me every time. *Sniff*

* The Untouchables (1987) -- Not just one great death scene, but a couple. Men going down fighting, guns blazing, for what they believed in.

* Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) -- This is one of my all-time favorite movies. Two elderly spinsters poison their gentlemen callers. Just how many bodies are there? This is screwball comedy at its best!

* Phenomenon (1996) -- I dare you not to reach for the Kleenex before it's over.

* Dead Again (1991) -- Scissors can be lethal, especially for Kenneth Branagh. Having just taken a film crit class before seeing this probably made a huge difference in how I viewed it -- I was blown away by the writing, directing and use of motif. Excellent film!

Friday 5: Shapes

Welcome to this week’s Friday 5. Please copy these questions to your webspace and answer them there. This week's topic is shapes.

1. What is your favorite shape of pasta?
I love tortellini with a meat sauce, so I guess I'll go with that, though I also like rotini.

2. Which of the Lucky Charms marshmallows is (or was) your favorite? [link provided for our non-U.S. friends]
I can't eat this stuff anymore, but used to love the green clover.

3. Of people you know who are older than forty, who’s in the best shape?
My neighbor Janet.

4. What shape is one of the more interesting scars on your body?
I only have two scars, but can't say either is a particular interesting shape. The one by my eye is just a small line near the corner, the one on my ankle a small splotch. Both are hardly noticeable.

5. Of a human’s internal organs, which do you think has the most interesting shape?
Not being a medical examiner, I can't say I've ever thought about this. However, if refering to the game of Operation, I was always kind of partial to the funny bone. ; )

The Games

I don't know about you, but I love the Olympics. Winter, Summer, makes no difference to me, I just love to watch. With the 2010 Vancouver games looming on the horizon, author Patricia McLinn is running a new promo for her 2006 release, THE GAMES. Check out her fun new Facebook site or read below for more information.


THE GAMES

Medals can be won, careers can be made and hearts can be lost in the sixteen days of the Winter Olympics.

Tess Rutledge, once an Olympic champion figure skater, returns to the Games as a coach, encountering her first love -- and only heartbreak – and testing her ability to forgive. Alpine skier Kyle Armstrong has made a terrible mistake that could cost her a shot at Olympic gold as well as any hope of reconciling with the man she loves. Biathlete Rikki Lodge thinks she's just happy to be at the Games, until she meets a hockey player who demands that she do what she’s never done before: put it all on the line.

In The Games, longtime sports journalist and best-selling novelist Patricia McLinn takes you inside the Winter Olympics. Patricia’s award-winning books have gained fans around the world. Of her most recent releases, Booklist said: “beautifully written, richly emotional love stories that are a joy to read.”

Let The Games begin!

THE GAMES
Patricia McLinn
ISBN: 0-9765185-1-1
Delphi Books / trade paperback
Publication date: December 2005
Read an Excerpt

Order a copy today

Thursday Thirteen 133: A Bit of Randomness

I'm feeling totally uninspired again this week, so thought I'd try a bit of randomness. Here are some observations made, things that have been on my mind or that have annoyed me over the past week.

~ While walking one day last week I happened upon a lawn crew raking leaves. Nothing out of the ordinary this time of year, but does anyone else think that smoking while raking -- especially while doing someone else's yard -- is a really bad idea? Honestly!

~ Speaking of leaves, you'd be hard-pressed to find any around here these days. The trees all dropped their colorful garments seemingly overnight, and they have all been raked and collected for composting. Only a few tenacious leaves cling to branches here and there.

~ People who don't use the shift key annoy me. It's basic grade-school grammar, folks: proper nouns should be capitalized. Always. People who use all caps also annoy me.

~ Something else that annoys me, as long-time followers know, is bad editing, and never more than during a recent read. I was anxious to read this book, intrigued by both the cover blurb and prologue, but then you couldn't go five pages without an editing gaffe slapping you upside the head and drawing you out of the story. The truly sad part is that this is a popular, top-selling author with a leading publisher. There is no excuse for this sort of sloppiness, and as a consumer I not only felt disappointed but cheated.

~ While we're on the subject of annoyances, this post at The Bumbles blog last week asked what annoys you about other peoples' blogs. I was pleased to see many share my peeve in auto-music on blogs. You know--the loud, jarring music that starts almost as soon as you click on their link. Just. Don't. Do. It. Offer a play list if you like, but please remember that people not only access web content from the comfort of their homes, but from the library, bookstore, cafe, work and many other venues. That unexpected blast of music will quickly earn your visitors the evil eye and turn them off your blog/website.

~ Two other blog annoyances: headers that take up the entire screen, forcing you to scroll down forever and ever to get to actual content -- do these people realize how long those monster headers take to load? -- and "snap" views. I cannot tell you how often those snap views prevent a clicked link from opening, or freeze a screen.

~ Things that make me smile: finding a real honest to goodness card or letter in the mailbox. I've had two so far this week. *VBG*

~ It's hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. I was in college, and remember it being bitter cold for early November. A friend and I had stopped in at The PIT for a late lunch. The TV, normally tuned to soaps that time of day, had been pre-empted, and we watched in awe as students on the other side of the world clambered atop the stone wall, dancing and singing and battering it with hammers and anything else they could get their hands on. Truly an amazing moment!

~ In contrast of that happy day, flags have been at half mast here as several soldiers involved in last week's shooting at Ft. Hood (three of whom were killed) were part of the Madison-based 467th Medical Detachment. There's a sad bit of irony in the fact that this unit is trained to help those deploying and returning deal with stressful (combat) experiences.

~ When placing a call and reaching voice mail or an answering machine, LEAVE A MESSAGE! Seriously. If you don't want to leave a message, hang up during the outgoing message instead of letting it play all the way through. There's nothing so annoying as the click of someone hanging up--not to mention the time wasted listening to your non-existent message.

~ What's with the Christmas music and TV programming already? The other day I discovered that a local radio station has already switched to an all-Christmas music program. Then last night while checking the TV guide I noted that ABCFAM channel is already starting the holiday movies. Can't we at least get through Thanksgiving before being inundated with Christmas fare??

~ Speaking of Christmas... I suddenly realized this week that the big day is only two months away--and I haven't finished any of my Christmas presents yet. Oops. Time to start stitching projects lined up for this year. Thankfully, most should not take too long to complete. I hope.

~ And speaking of stitched projects...don't you hate it when you misplace one? I did a small, round cross-stitch intended for a friend two years ago. Unable to find a frame that had a round opening in it, I set it aside. Wouldn't you know, now that I've actually seen a frame that might work I can't find this cross-stitch. I have looked everywhere. I've torn my project bag apart countless times and searched through supply drawers. Nada. Rien. It has completely disappeared.


Wow, who knew I would hit thirteen that fast? And I wasn't even done emptying my mind yet (Hey! No comments from the gallery!). So...anything on your mind this week?

LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:(Please leave your link if this is your first visit!)
Adelle Laudan * Alice Audrey * Tracie * Journeywoman
chubskulit * Gel * Jana * K * Shelley Munro Jill Conyers * Ms Menozzi * Hootin' Anni * Ella Drake Inez Kelley * Sandy * Elise Logan * Miss Anigie A. Catherine Noon * Paige Tyler * Miriam * CM Torrens
Storyteller * Jennifer McKenzie * Janice Seagraves
Jeanne St James
You can find more Thursday Thirteen participants HERE

Teaser Tuesday 8: I Scream, You Scream

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

For an instant, I sat by the window in my Grandma Peachy's kitchen, perched on a wooden stool, its seat worn concave from generations of ample bottoms. A warm breeze blew through the fly screen, fluttering the flour-sack curtains and caressing my face as a I grated the zest of lemons for homemade lemon ice cream. The astringent scent clung to my fingers like my own personal sunshine.

This paragraph from the last quarter of I Scream, You Scream may not be representative of the plot, but it's such a great descriptive passage I couldn't resist sharing.

November Leaves

I took advantage of the sunshine Saturday and walked the two-mile trek around my neighborhood (that's the shortest route around my "block"). The weather was an uncanny 71F — a good 20 degrees above normal. Just more weird weather in a year of unusual temps. August was cold and wet. September warmed up a little, but dipped down to freezing in October. Now November is roasting.

Not that anyone is complaining. Quite the contrary in fact. I opened my front window during the afternoon while finishing Thanksgiving cards and, for the third time this week, got out for a walk. The trees have all dropped their leaves, and most of those piled along the curb have already been collected, but — now a week after Halloween — many houses still sport pumpkins and other fall decorations, making for an enjoyable outing. I did take my camera along with me, but you know it will be a while before I get anything uploaded. Maybe before the snow flies. If not, there's always nextautumn. *wink*

Not much on the agenda for today. A trip to the grocery store, some reading, maybe watch the football game...not much else. Sometimes you just need a day or a long afternoon to kick back and do nothing.

CAS39

A card made for this week's "clean and simple" challenge, which was a sketch challenge. It was a great excuse to use my new turkey stamp! I have been looking for a decent turkey stamp for years, but everything was either two cartoonish, or more detailed than I wanted. You can imagine how ecstatic I was this fall when Stampin' Up issued not one, but two decent turkeys--this single stamp, and a 4-piece set that includes a turkey. Since some of the images in the 4-piece set are similar to others I have, I opted for the single bird. This is a simple card on white cardstock, with only a splash of color in harvest colors (ink and patterned paper).

Stamps: Gobble, Gobble (Stampin' Up)
Paper: White, Orange (Wausau Paper Co); Indian Summer Fall Stack (DCWV)
Ink: "Autumn Leaves" Kaleidacolor
Acccessories: Grosgrain ribbon (Joann's), Oval Punches (Marvy)

Friday 5: Grand Slam

Copy these questions to your webspace and answer them there. Don’t forget to link us from your website!


This week’s 5 honors the World Series (ack!).


1. According to the cliche, if you “spare the rod,” you “spoil the child.” Who in your life was probably spared A Rod while growing up? Definitely baby sis, and her youngest (spoiled ROTTEN by her paternal g'father) is just as bad.

2. In how many directions this week did you feel you were being Yanked? At least twenty.

3. On whom have you depended for relief this week? I guess we'll count the maintenance man here, who relieved me of a major leak under the kitchen sink.

4. Who deserves a standing ovation this week (or even a hip-hip Jorge)? Thing 2, who went to bat for me Wednesday when I got caught in the middle of a power struggle between Thing 1 and Thing 3. They turned a bad day to worse, so the pep talk was much appreciated.

5. When did you last have a taste of Champagne? New Year's Eve.

Thursday Thirteen 132: Really Old Classics

Yesterday's blog talked about the three book challenges to which I've committed myself, one of which is the Really Old Classics Challenge (pre-1600 A.D.). Here are thirteen "really old" classics taken from the suggested reading list that I have either read previously and might be interested in reading again (in bold), or am interested in reading for the challenge.

* Gilgamesh
* Homer: The Iliad, The Odyssey
* Aeschylus: Oresteia, Seven Against Thebes, Prometheus Bound
* Sophocles: Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone; Electra
(I have read these four in both French and English, and two different versions of Antigone--the original and a "contemporary" version by Jean Anouilh. Also read "The Flies," a modernization of "Electra" by Sartre.)
* Euripides: Orestes
* Plato: Dialogues
* Aristotle: Poetics, Ethics
* Aesop: Fables
* Dante: The Divine Comedy
* Leonardo da Vinci: Notebooks
* Sir Thomas Malory: Le Morte D’Arthur
* Sir Thomas More: Utopia
* Edmund Spenser: The Faerie Queene

BONUS:

* Michel de Montaigne: Essays
* Confucius: The Analects

What about you? Are there any "really old" classics you liked and would recommend?

LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:

(Please leave your link if this is your first visit!)

Marcia * Adelle Laudan * Alice Audrey * Tracie
CM Torrens * Stephanie Adkins * Ella Drake
Journeywoman * Desi * Shelley Munro * Ms Menozzi

Jill Conyers * Chubskulit * Brenda ND * Inez Kelley
Jennifer McKenzie * A Catherine Noon * Paige Tyler
Elise Logan * Vixen * Marice * Sophia Parkwood
Amy * Book Pusher

You can find more Thursday Thirteen participants HERE.

Book Challenges

So, I've been lured into three new book challenges. Granted, I haven't quite fulfilled the Casual Classics challenge set at beginning of the year, but I am working on it. Slowly. Three down, one more to go, and the title I have slotted for book four will also fill one of the new challenges below. Feel free to take the plunge and join me!


First up is the Really Old Classics Challenge. Yes, I know, I just said I still haven't completed the current classics challenge, and now I've gone and joined another. This one requires that you read no more than ONE classic written before 1600 AD between November 2009 and February 2010. Looking over the list of suggested readings, I discovered that I have in fact already read a few that qualify (some in both French and English), and realized that, aside from these works, I also have one not yet read in my TBR pile: Homer's The Odyssey. There you go, a book I can slide into January. And, since I intend to set myself the goal of reading at least four classics again in 2010, it will fulfill two challenges at once. Nice!


Next up is the Christmas Challenge — read at least three Christmas-themed books from 26 November 2009 through 31 December 2009. YA counts, children’s books do not. I had already gone through my TBR pile and pulled out a mess of Christmas titles before stumbling across this challenge, so this one should be easy to complete (and then some). Umm...yeah. You don't want to know how long that list is. There are books that have been languising in the TBR a decade or more. Sad, I know. And while I know I will not get through that entire list this year, at least I will make a healthy dint in it.


Last but not least is the Year of the Historical: A 2010 Reading Challenge. This challenge has no set book requirements, only asks that you read as many historicals as you can fit into your regular reading during the next year. Looking over the TBR, I realized that, if I read only one Johanna Lindsey a month, I will (finally) be caught up on her books. I used to devour her books, but realize the reason I fell behind wasn't because I tired of her writing, but because they switched from printing them in mass market pb to hardcover. A coup for her, but not for the reader. So, while I've continued to automatically buy each book, I haven't been so good at keeping up. This will be the year to do so!

There was a fourth challenge that intrigued me, but I have decided not to commit to it, feeling three are enough for the time being, but I will mention it in case anyone else wants to join. It's the Shelf-Discovery Challenge. This challenge asks that you look through the book by Lizzie Skurnick, then choose any six YA books mentioned in the book, whether it be one you want to reread as an adult, or one you missed as a teen, to read between 1 Nov 2009 – 30 April 2010. If you can't get your hands on a physical copy of the book, go to amazon.com and browse the book's table of contents; you can amass quite a reading list from that alone!


Let me know if you decide to join any of these. If these aren't your cuppa, but you like the idea of a reading challenge, check out A Novel Challenge. You're sure to find something that will suit you and your reading tastes!

Teaser Tuesday 7: Unhallowed Ground

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

She saw and felt the essence of evil, heard the rasp of its fetid breath, smelled flesh and blood and bone and the pungence of the earth as her fate stepped closer and closer still, drawing pleasure from her terror and her newfound knowledge...

She had not come to make a sacrifice.

She had come to be the sacrifice.

Monday Movie Meme: Mobsters

Share on your blog mafia movies that left their mark with you and link back to The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants to find their recommendations!

Here's my list, featuring one of my all-time favorite movies, followed by a couple of comedies featuring the mob. Hey, these guys beg to be laughed at, don't they?

*** The Untouchables (1987; Kevin Kostner, Sean Connery, Andy Garcia) -- Federal Agent Elliot Ness sets out to take out Al Capone; because of rampant corruption, he assembles a small, hand-picked team.

*** Married to the Mob (1988; Michelle Pfeiffer, Alec Baldwin) -- An undercover FBI agent falls in love with a recently widowed mafia wife seeking to start her life over after her husband's murder and who is also pursued by a libidinous mafia kingpin seeking to claim her for himself.

*** The Freshman (1990; Marlon Brando, Matthew Broderick) -- Clark Kellogg is a young man starting his first year at film school in New York City. After a small time crook steals all his belongings, Clark meets Carmine "Jimmy the Toucan" Sabatini, an "importer" bearing a startling resemblance to a certain cinematic godfather. When Sabatini makes Clark an offer he can't refuse, he finds himself caught up in a caper involving endangered species and fine dining.

*** Mickey Blue Eyes (1999; Hugh Grant, James Caan, Jeanne Tripplehorn) -- An English auctioneer proposes to the daughter of a mafia kingpin, only to realize that certain "favors" would be asked of him.

*** Johnny Dangerously (1984, Michael Keaton) -- Set in the 1930's, an honest, goodhearted man is forced to turn to a life of crime to finance his neurotic mother's skyrocketing medical bills.